1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a waist adjusting device generally called waist adjuster or belt adjuster, which is capable of adjusting the length of a waist belt in clothes, for example, beltless trousers or skirts.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional waist adjusting device will be described next. A slider is attached by means of a fixing device to a rear face of a waist belt located outside at an overlapping portion of for example, beltless trousers or skirt as shown in FIG. 17. Then, an adjusting belt having adjusting protrusions arranged at a predetermined interval or if the adjusting belt is attached on the rear face of a common foundation, both the adjusting belt and the common foundation are inserted through the slider. Both ends of each of the adjusting belt and common foundation are sewed to the waist belt located inside and then, an operating piece having engaging protrusions capable of engaging the adjusting protrusions is inserted into the slider from above. Consequently, the adjustment of the length of the waist is carried out.
The structure is shown in FIG. 32 for example, and disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open NO. 10-179215. This waist adjusting device comprises the adjusting belt 1xe2x80x2, slider 2xe2x80x2, operating piece, spring and attaching and fixing device 4xe2x80x2. The adjusting belt 1xe2x80x2 has a multiplicity of adjusting protrusions 11xe2x80x2 on the surface thereof and the slider 2xe2x80x2 has a hollow through portion 20xe2x80x2 through which the adjusting belt is capable of passing in the right and left direction. Further, an insertion portion is provided in which an operating piece can be inserted vertically and slid. Further, a partition wall is provided at a bottom portion inside to separate the adjusting belt from the operating piece and guide the operating piece. The operating piece comprises engaging protrusions 24xe2x80x2 provided on one face thereof and an operating portion which can be pressed with pressure at an upper portion thereof. The operating piece is urged upward by a spring after it is inserted in the slider 2xe2x80x2. At normal time, the adjusting protrusions 11xe2x80x2 engage the engaging protrusions 24xe2x80x2 such that the adjusting belt 1xe2x80x2 is fixed to the slider 2xe2x80x2. When the length of the waist is to be adjusted, the operating piece is pressed so as to release the engagement between the adjusting protrusions 11xe2x80x2 and the engaging protrusions 24xe2x80x2. Then, by moving the slider, the length of the waist is adjusted.
However, in the waist adjusting device shown in FIG. 17, the slider is attached to a rear face of the waist belt located outside of the beltless trousers by means of the fixing device. The adjusting belt whose end is fixed to the waist belt inside or both the adjusting belt and common foundation are inserted through the slider and then, free ends of the adjusting belt or adjusting belt and common foundation are sewed and fixed to the waist belt located inside. Therefore, a work for attaching the waist adjusting device to clothes such as the beltless trousers is very complicated and troublesome.
Further, a well known waist adjusting device shown in FIG. 32 requires a large number of components and a slider of this waist adjusting device needs assembly steps thereby inducing an increased cost and requiring a large amount of time and labor. Because the slider includes the operating piece, an entire thickness increases so that an appearance of the waist adjusting device is poor and there is a feeling of disharmony during use thereof.
Accordingly, the present invention has been achieved to solve the above described problems and therefore, a first object of the present invention is to provide a waist adjusting device in which the number of components of a product is reduced and the slider does not assembly steps because of its simple structure, thereby reducing production cost thereof, the structure being simple and thin allowing adjustment operation to be carried out simply and having a good appearance and not a feeling of disharmony.
A second object of the present invention is to provide a waist adjusting device in which a vertical motion of the adjusting belt is restricted to carry out engagement and release between the adjusting belt and slider smoothly so that the adjustment of the length of the waist can be carried out securely.
A third object of the present invention is to provide a waist adjusting device in which the adjusting belt is maintained in a stabilized condition so as to ensure engagement between the adjusting belt and the slider.
A fourth object of the present invention is to provide a waist adjusting device capable of holding the adjusting belt always in a good appearance and stabilized condition within the slider.
A fifth object of the present invention is to provide a waist adjusting device in which the adjusting belt or both the adjusting belt and a narrow foundation are fixed to a waist belt located inside by sewing both ends of each thereof and the slider fixed to the waist belt located outside is attached to the adjusting belt inside whose both ends are previously fixed, by elastic deformation thereby making it possible to mount the waist adjusting device very easily.
A sixth object of the present invention is to provide a waist adjusting device which enables the slider to be attached easily and rapidly to the adjusting belt whose both ends are fixed.
A seventh object of the present invention is to provide a waist adjusting device in which a stopper is disposed as a wedge between a surface plate and a rear plate to prevent the surface plate and the rear plate of the slider from opening freely.
An eighth object of the present invention is to provide a waist adjusting device in which the slider can be divided to a base body and a lid body so that it can be attached to clothes such as beltless trousers easily and can be assembled also easily.
A ninth object of the present invention is to provide a waist adjusting device of a type appropriate for production and molding of the slider by defining a shape of the slider.
A tenth object of the present invention is to provide a waist adjusting device which can be simply produced and recycled by restricting material thereof to thermoplastic resin.
The other objects will be understood from a description below.
To achieve the above objects, according to a main aspect of the invention, there is provided a waist adjusting device, including an adjusting belt having a multiplicity of adjusting protrusions which protrude from a surface thereof, and a slider having a hollow through portion through which the adjusting belt is passed. The through portion includes engaging protrusions capable of engaging the adjusting protrusions of the adjusting belt when the adjusting belt is provided at any of up and down positions within the through portion. And a gap portion corresponding to at least the adjusting protrusions is provided above or below the adjusting belt when the adjusting belt is passed through. As a result, the number of the components of the waist adjusting device can be reduced and the structure of the slider is simplified, so that the assembly work is not necessary. Consequently, production cost can be reduced and further, for adjustment work, the slider only has to be moved in the vertical direction. Thus, the adjustment operation is carried out smoothly and a completed product is simple and thin. There is no feeling of disharmony during use thereof unlike the conventional product.
Preferably, a protruded contact portion which the adjusting protrusion makes contact with is provided above or below the engaging protrusion within the through portion of the slider with a gap corresponding to at least the adjusting protrusion. Consequently, the vertical movement of the adjusting belt with respect to the slider is restricted and the engagement therebetween can be released securely, so that the length of the waist can be adjusted smoothly.
And preferably, a restricting portion for restricting a vertical movement of the adjusting belt is provided to protrude into a gap portion provided at any one of up and down positions on a wall opposing the engaging protrusion within the through portion of the slider. Consequently, the movement of the adjusting belt into the gap portion is restricted so that the adjusting belt can be maintained in a stabilized condition and engagement between the slider and adjusting belt can be maintained securely.
Also preferably, a U-shaped tongue piece having an elasticity is provided at a position opposing the gap portion provided at any one of up and down positions on a wall opposing the engaging protrusion within the through portion of the slider while the tongue portion contains a protruded restricting portion for restricting a vertical movement of the adjusting belt. Consequently, the movement of the adjusting belt into the gap portion is usually restricted, and if necessary, the adjusting belt is allowed to be moved easily and smoothly. Further, the adjusting belt can be maintained in a stabilized condition and the engagement between the slider and the adjusting belt can be maintained securely.
Preferably, the contact portion is disposed at a slightly higher position than the restricting portion of a wall opposing the restricting portion, the contact portion and the restricting portion being disposed within the through portion of the slider. Consequently, the adjusting belt can be always held in the stabilized condition and a waist adjusting device having a good appearance can be finished.
Further preferably, the slider is provided with a gap portion in one of a top plate and a bottom plate connecting the surface plate and the rear plate which have an elasticity, in particular. Consequently, part of the slider can be separated and opened easily. The slider can be attached to the adjusting belt whose both ends are fixed already, so that a later-attachment type of the slider is completed. Thus, productivity of clothes such as beltless trousers and skirt can be improved.
Further preferably, the gap portion provided in the slider is formed so as to extend in an entire range of the top plate or bottom plate while the surface plate just opposes the rear plate at the position in which the gap portion exists. Consequently, the slider can be attached to the adjusting belt whose both ends are fixed, very easily, simply and rapidly.
Still further preferably, a stopper insertion hole is provided on the top plate or the bottom plate; the stopper is formed of a plate bent in a U-shape having U-shaped leg portions elastically deformable at one end and engaging portions directed outward provided on ends of the leg portions so that the engaging portions are capable of engaging the stopper insertion hole and the other end of the stopper is formed so as to nip the surface plate. Consequently, the surface plate and rear plate of the slider can be maintained in a stabilized condition so that a smooth adjustment work can be carried out.
Further preferably, the slider is comprised of a surface plate capable of being fixed to the waist belt and the rear plate capable of engaging the surface plate and fitting pieces are provided on any one of the surface plate and the rear plate while engaging pieces capable of engaging the fitting pieces are provided on the other side, each of the fitting pieces and the engaging pieces opposing vertically, the through portion being formed between the surface plate and the rear plate. Consequently, the slider can be produced and installed very simply and particularly a slider suitable for molding processing of thermoplastic resin can be produced. Further, the aforementioned later-installation type can be applied to the waist adjusting device composed of a small number of parts and not requiring a complicated adjustment work.
Further preferably, the fitting piece has a hook-shaped fitting portion and the engaging piece has a hook-shaped engaging portion provided at a front end thereof. Consequently, the surface plate and rear plate of the slider can be maintained in a stabilized condition, so that a smooth adjustment operation can be carried out.
Further preferably, the slider has a rectangular shape and a rectangular through hole is provided in a vertical direction of the center of the rear plate and an attaching hole whose inner side is expanded is provided in the surface plate opposing the through hole, while a fixing device for attaching the slider onto the waist belt is a cap having attaching posts protruded, the attaching posts being inserted into the attaching holes and crushed. Consequently, production and attachment of the slider can be carried out very simply and a slider suitable for, in particular, molding processing of thermoplastic resin can be produced.
Further, the adjusting belt, slider and fixing device are formed of thermoplastic resin. Consequently, the waist adjusting device can be produced very simply and recycled.